Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779397
Anjana Gayathri Arunachalam, K. Englehart, J. Sensinger
Humans consistently coordinate their joints to perform a variety of tasks. Computational motor control theory explains these stereotypical behaviors using optimal control. Several cost functions have been used to explain specific movements, which suggests that the brain optimizes for a combination of costs and just varies their relative weights to perform different tasks. In the case of tunable human-machine interfaces, we hypothesize that the human-machine interface should be optimized according to the costs that the user cares about when making the movement. Here, we study how the relative weights of individual cost functions in a composite movement cost affect the optimal control signal produced by the user and the mapping between the user’s control signals and the machine’s output, using prosthesis control as a specific example. This framework was tested by building a hierarchical optimization model that independently optimized for the user control signal and the virtual dynamics of the device. Our results indicate the feasibility of the approach and show the potential for using such a model in prosthesis tuning. This method could be used to allow clinicians and users to tune their prosthesis based on costs they actually care about; and allow the platforms to be customized for the unique needs of every patient.
{"title":"Optimized control mapping through user-tuned cost of effort, time, and reliability*","authors":"Anjana Gayathri Arunachalam, K. Englehart, J. Sensinger","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779397","url":null,"abstract":"Humans consistently coordinate their joints to perform a variety of tasks. Computational motor control theory explains these stereotypical behaviors using optimal control. Several cost functions have been used to explain specific movements, which suggests that the brain optimizes for a combination of costs and just varies their relative weights to perform different tasks. In the case of tunable human-machine interfaces, we hypothesize that the human-machine interface should be optimized according to the costs that the user cares about when making the movement. Here, we study how the relative weights of individual cost functions in a composite movement cost affect the optimal control signal produced by the user and the mapping between the user’s control signals and the machine’s output, using prosthesis control as a specific example. This framework was tested by building a hierarchical optimization model that independently optimized for the user control signal and the virtual dynamics of the device. Our results indicate the feasibility of the approach and show the potential for using such a model in prosthesis tuning. This method could be used to allow clinicians and users to tune their prosthesis based on costs they actually care about; and allow the platforms to be customized for the unique needs of every patient.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"306 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116187128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779432
R. Andrade, Stefano Sapienza, P. Bonato
Robot-assisted rehabilitation in children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP) is expected to lead to neuroplasticity and reduce the burden of motor impairments. For a lower-limb exoskeleton to perform well in this context, it is essential that the robot be "transparent" to the user and produce torques only when voluntarily-generated motor outputs deviate significantly from the target trajectory. However, the development of transparent operation modes and assistance-as-need control schema are still open problems with several implementation challenges. This paper presents a theoretical approach and provides a discussion of the key issues pertinent to designing a transparent operation mode for a lower-limb exoskeleton suitable for children and young adults with CP. Based on the dynamics of exoskeletons as well as friction models and human-robot interaction models, we propose a control strategy aimed to minimize human-machine interaction forces when subjects generate motor outputs that match the target trajectory. The material is presented as a conceptual framework that can be generalized to other exoskeleton systems for overground walking.
{"title":"Development of a “transparent operation mode” for a lower-limb exoskeleton designed for children with cerebral palsy","authors":"R. Andrade, Stefano Sapienza, P. Bonato","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779432","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779432","url":null,"abstract":"Robot-assisted rehabilitation in children and young adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP) is expected to lead to neuroplasticity and reduce the burden of motor impairments. For a lower-limb exoskeleton to perform well in this context, it is essential that the robot be \"transparent\" to the user and produce torques only when voluntarily-generated motor outputs deviate significantly from the target trajectory. However, the development of transparent operation modes and assistance-as-need control schema are still open problems with several implementation challenges. This paper presents a theoretical approach and provides a discussion of the key issues pertinent to designing a transparent operation mode for a lower-limb exoskeleton suitable for children and young adults with CP. Based on the dynamics of exoskeletons as well as friction models and human-robot interaction models, we propose a control strategy aimed to minimize human-machine interaction forces when subjects generate motor outputs that match the target trajectory. The material is presented as a conceptual framework that can be generalized to other exoskeleton systems for overground walking.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114797499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779385
Jean-Paul Martin, Qingguo Li
When walking, the trunk not only oscillates in the vertical direction, but also in the medial-lateral direction. We developed a novel backpack that uses the medial-lateral oscillations of the trunk as input motion to drive medial-lateral oscillations of weight carried in a modified backpack. We use a combination of spring and damping elements to control mass motion, resulting in the ability to prescribe a variety of mass oscillation amplitudes and phase angles. We propose the device as a platform that can be used to study medial-lateral stability during walking. In particular, if the body’s ability to predict medial-lateral centre-of-mass state is affected by an oscillating external mass. In this paper, we present the design, model, and model evaluation of our novel load carriage device. During testing, our model was able to predict the oscillation dynamics of the carried mass while walking: demonstrating its capability to create a variety of load carriage scenarios for the user.
{"title":"Load Carriage Device for Studying Medial-Lateral Stability of Walking: Design and Performance Evaluation","authors":"Jean-Paul Martin, Qingguo Li","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779385","url":null,"abstract":"When walking, the trunk not only oscillates in the vertical direction, but also in the medial-lateral direction. We developed a novel backpack that uses the medial-lateral oscillations of the trunk as input motion to drive medial-lateral oscillations of weight carried in a modified backpack. We use a combination of spring and damping elements to control mass motion, resulting in the ability to prescribe a variety of mass oscillation amplitudes and phase angles. We propose the device as a platform that can be used to study medial-lateral stability during walking. In particular, if the body’s ability to predict medial-lateral centre-of-mass state is affected by an oscillating external mass. In this paper, we present the design, model, and model evaluation of our novel load carriage device. During testing, our model was able to predict the oscillation dynamics of the carried mass while walking: demonstrating its capability to create a variety of load carriage scenarios for the user.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"78 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126251453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779422
Parker W. Hill, E. Wolbrecht, J. Perry
Stroke is one of the leading causes of impairment in the world. Many of those who have suffered a stroke experience long-term loss of upper-limb function as a result. BLUE SABINO is an exoskeleton device being developed at the University of Idaho to help assess these patients and aid in their rehabilitation. One of the central design challenges with exoskeletons is limiting the overall weight of the device. Motors used in actuation of these devices are often oversized to allow gravity balancing of the device and user and the creation of torques to facilitate patient movements. If the torques required for gravity balancing are achieved through elastic elements, the motor and other upstream components can be lighter, potentially greatly reducing the overall weight of the device. In this paper, constant-force springs may provide an effective method of generating a constant offsetting torque to compensate for gravity. In experimental testing of multiple mounting configurations of C-shaped constant-force springs (single, back-to-back, double-wrapped), the force output fluctuated less than 8.6% over 180° of wrapping, with friction values below 2.6%, validating the viability of constant-force springs for this application. The results suggest the back-to-back configuration provides a simpler implementation with better force consistency while the double-wrapped configuration adds less friction to the system.
{"title":"Gravity Compensation of an Exoskeleton Joint Using Constant-Force Springs","authors":"Parker W. Hill, E. Wolbrecht, J. Perry","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779422","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779422","url":null,"abstract":"Stroke is one of the leading causes of impairment in the world. Many of those who have suffered a stroke experience long-term loss of upper-limb function as a result. BLUE SABINO is an exoskeleton device being developed at the University of Idaho to help assess these patients and aid in their rehabilitation. One of the central design challenges with exoskeletons is limiting the overall weight of the device. Motors used in actuation of these devices are often oversized to allow gravity balancing of the device and user and the creation of torques to facilitate patient movements. If the torques required for gravity balancing are achieved through elastic elements, the motor and other upstream components can be lighter, potentially greatly reducing the overall weight of the device. In this paper, constant-force springs may provide an effective method of generating a constant offsetting torque to compensate for gravity. In experimental testing of multiple mounting configurations of C-shaped constant-force springs (single, back-to-back, double-wrapped), the force output fluctuated less than 8.6% over 180° of wrapping, with friction values below 2.6%, validating the viability of constant-force springs for this application. The results suggest the back-to-back configuration provides a simpler implementation with better force consistency while the double-wrapped configuration adds less friction to the system.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126511313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779386
K. Stewart, C. Diduch, J. Sensinger
Assistive exoskeletons that utilize trajectory following control have been shown to produce stable gait for users. These however, do not allow intuitive tuning to customize gait to users’ preferences. When persons walk on their own, they balance a variety of needs such as speed, comfort, and energy. Providing user tuning by optimizing between different gait performance measures gives an intuitive flexibility. We have shown the optimization between natural walking and gait energy produces stable bipedal gait through simulation in a virtual constraint framework. This verification shows validity of the methodology and framework for improving tuning and customization of assistive exoskeletons.
{"title":"Assistive Exoskeleton Control with User-Tuned Multi-Objective Optimization","authors":"K. Stewart, C. Diduch, J. Sensinger","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779386","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779386","url":null,"abstract":"Assistive exoskeletons that utilize trajectory following control have been shown to produce stable gait for users. These however, do not allow intuitive tuning to customize gait to users’ preferences. When persons walk on their own, they balance a variety of needs such as speed, comfort, and energy. Providing user tuning by optimizing between different gait performance measures gives an intuitive flexibility. We have shown the optimization between natural walking and gait energy produces stable bipedal gait through simulation in a virtual constraint framework. This verification shows validity of the methodology and framework for improving tuning and customization of assistive exoskeletons.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"35 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128011797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779498
Brandon P. R. Edmonds, A. L. Trejos
A new type of actuator made from twisting a silver-plated nylon thread presents new possibilities for the way wearable mechatronic rehabilitation devices are designed. The twisted coiled actuator (TCA) has been previously shown to provide a power density up to 100 times that of biological muscles, while also encompassing biomimetic characteristics. However, since TCAs require heat to contract, the main drawbacks preventing this type of actuator are its inherent low efficiency and slow reaction times. To combat both of these issues, a simple tube enclosure was designed to provide active cooling using forced air. The two main parameters affecting the efficiency and bandwidth are the cooling air pressure and tube diameter. This study presents a two-way repeated measures test to compare these parameters on the cooling and heating rates of the TCA system, as well as the thermal capacitance with three pressure levels (10, 15, and 20 psi) and three tube diameters (4, 4.5, and 5 mm). The results show that an increase in pressure significantly improves the rate of cooling, while a decrease in tube diameter has negative effects on the efficiency and cooling rate of the system. The mean values of the cooling time $(tau_{text {cool}})$ were 2.972, 2.210, and 2.682 seconds for 4, 4.5, and 5 mm diameters, respectively. These results indicate that a decrease in diameter improves the cooling rate up to the point at which the walls of the tube become so close to the TCA strand, that they prevent rapid heat transfer while cooling.
{"title":"Design of an Active Cooling System for Thermally Activated Soft Actuators","authors":"Brandon P. R. Edmonds, A. L. Trejos","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779498","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779498","url":null,"abstract":"A new type of actuator made from twisting a silver-plated nylon thread presents new possibilities for the way wearable mechatronic rehabilitation devices are designed. The twisted coiled actuator (TCA) has been previously shown to provide a power density up to 100 times that of biological muscles, while also encompassing biomimetic characteristics. However, since TCAs require heat to contract, the main drawbacks preventing this type of actuator are its inherent low efficiency and slow reaction times. To combat both of these issues, a simple tube enclosure was designed to provide active cooling using forced air. The two main parameters affecting the efficiency and bandwidth are the cooling air pressure and tube diameter. This study presents a two-way repeated measures test to compare these parameters on the cooling and heating rates of the TCA system, as well as the thermal capacitance with three pressure levels (10, 15, and 20 psi) and three tube diameters (4, 4.5, and 5 mm). The results show that an increase in pressure significantly improves the rate of cooling, while a decrease in tube diameter has negative effects on the efficiency and cooling rate of the system. The mean values of the cooling time $(tau_{text {cool}})$ were 2.972, 2.210, and 2.682 seconds for 4, 4.5, and 5 mm diameters, respectively. These results indicate that a decrease in diameter improves the cooling rate up to the point at which the walls of the tube become so close to the TCA strand, that they prevent rapid heat transfer while cooling.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"587 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121977719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779547
Mohammed H. Abdelhafiz, E. Spaich, S. Došen, L. Struijk
A new tendon driven mechanism, embedded into a soft hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation and assistance, was proposed in this study. The proposed solution was a pulley flexion mechanism inspired by the human musculoskeletal system to enable a natural and comfortable finger flexion. A biomechanical constraint for the finger flexion motion states that the relation between the proximal interphalangeal joint angle of the finger should always be flexed around 1.5 times the distal interphalangeal joint angle. The study aimed to comply with this constraint, by simultaneously distributing the forces over the distal and middle finger phalanges. For evaluation, the voluntary and exoskeleton flexions were compared based on the relation between the proximal and distal interphalangeal joint angles. The results showed that during the exoskeleton flexion the relation between the interphalangeal joints complied with the biomechanical constraint, where the proximal interphalangeal joint angle was 1.5 times larger than the distal interphalangeal joint. This ensures that the mechanism flexes the finger comfortably. The proposed solution is therefore a promising design for a novel soft exoskeleton that will be used for training and assistance of patients with hand paralysis.
{"title":"Bio-inspired tendon driven mechanism for simultaneous finger joints flexion using a soft hand exoskeleton","authors":"Mohammed H. Abdelhafiz, E. Spaich, S. Došen, L. Struijk","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779547","url":null,"abstract":"A new tendon driven mechanism, embedded into a soft hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation and assistance, was proposed in this study. The proposed solution was a pulley flexion mechanism inspired by the human musculoskeletal system to enable a natural and comfortable finger flexion. A biomechanical constraint for the finger flexion motion states that the relation between the proximal interphalangeal joint angle of the finger should always be flexed around 1.5 times the distal interphalangeal joint angle. The study aimed to comply with this constraint, by simultaneously distributing the forces over the distal and middle finger phalanges. For evaluation, the voluntary and exoskeleton flexions were compared based on the relation between the proximal and distal interphalangeal joint angles. The results showed that during the exoskeleton flexion the relation between the interphalangeal joints complied with the biomechanical constraint, where the proximal interphalangeal joint angle was 1.5 times larger than the distal interphalangeal joint. This ensures that the mechanism flexes the finger comfortably. The proposed solution is therefore a promising design for a novel soft exoskeleton that will be used for training and assistance of patients with hand paralysis.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129388218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779440
Romain Baud, J. Fasola, T. Vouga, A. Ijspeert, M. Bouri
This paper presents a novel method to perform automatic standing balance in a full mobilization exoskeleton. It exploits the locked ankle and the curved foot sole of the exoskeleton TWIICE. The idea is to use the knees to roll the sole and change the position of the contact point with the floor, which allows to stabilize without an actuated ankle.This controller is biologically inspired, originating from a previous experiment with the passive exoskeleton CAPTUR and healthy subjects. Then, a simulation model was built to test the observed balance strategy. Finally, the controller was implemented on the actual actuated exoskeleton, without a wearer for the time being, to experimentally check the basic operation. The next planned step is to test its actual performance with healthy subjects, then paraplegic patients.
{"title":"Bio-inspired standing balance controller for a full-mobilization exoskeleton","authors":"Romain Baud, J. Fasola, T. Vouga, A. Ijspeert, M. Bouri","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779440","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a novel method to perform automatic standing balance in a full mobilization exoskeleton. It exploits the locked ankle and the curved foot sole of the exoskeleton TWIICE. The idea is to use the knees to roll the sole and change the position of the contact point with the floor, which allows to stabilize without an actuated ankle.This controller is biologically inspired, originating from a previous experiment with the passive exoskeleton CAPTUR and healthy subjects. Then, a simulation model was built to test the observed balance strategy. Finally, the controller was implemented on the actual actuated exoskeleton, without a wearer for the time being, to experimentally check the basic operation. The next planned step is to test its actual performance with healthy subjects, then paraplegic patients.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130730113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779534
M. H. Jahanandish, Kaitlin G. Rabe, Nicholas P. Fey, K. Hoyt
Clinical viability of powered lower-limb assistive devices requires reliable and intuitive control strategies. Stance and swing are the main phases of the gait cycle across different locomotion tasks. Hence, a reliable method to accurately identify these phases can decrease sensing complexity and assist in enabling high-level control of assistive devices. Ultrasound (US) imaging has recently been introduced as a new sensing modality that may provide a solution for intuitive device control. US images of the rectus femoris and vastus intermedius muscles were collected in humans during level, incline, and decline ambulation tasks. Five low-level static (i.e. time-independent) features of US images were measured with respect to a reference image, including correlation coefficient, sum of absolute differences, structural similarity index, sum of squared differences, and image echogenicity. Time-derivatives of the static features were also calculated as temporal features. Support vector machine classifiers were trained using these static features to identify the gait phase both dependent and independent of the ambulation tasks. The results indicate an accuracy of 88.3% in identifying the gait phases for task-independent classifiers when trained using only the static features. Performance of the classifiers improved significantly to 92.8% after using the temporal features (p $lt0.01)$. The algorithm was efficient and the average processing speed was faster than 100 Hz. This study is the first demonstration on use of US imaging to provide continuous estimates of ambulation phase, and on multiple surfaces. These findings suggest task-independent approaches may reliably identify the main phases of the gait cycle. Advancements in this area of study may provide simpler intuitive strategies for high-level assistive device control and increase their clinical relevance.
{"title":"Gait Phase Identification During Level, Incline and Decline Ambulation Tasks Using Portable Sonomyographic Sensing","authors":"M. H. Jahanandish, Kaitlin G. Rabe, Nicholas P. Fey, K. Hoyt","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779534","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779534","url":null,"abstract":"Clinical viability of powered lower-limb assistive devices requires reliable and intuitive control strategies. Stance and swing are the main phases of the gait cycle across different locomotion tasks. Hence, a reliable method to accurately identify these phases can decrease sensing complexity and assist in enabling high-level control of assistive devices. Ultrasound (US) imaging has recently been introduced as a new sensing modality that may provide a solution for intuitive device control. US images of the rectus femoris and vastus intermedius muscles were collected in humans during level, incline, and decline ambulation tasks. Five low-level static (i.e. time-independent) features of US images were measured with respect to a reference image, including correlation coefficient, sum of absolute differences, structural similarity index, sum of squared differences, and image echogenicity. Time-derivatives of the static features were also calculated as temporal features. Support vector machine classifiers were trained using these static features to identify the gait phase both dependent and independent of the ambulation tasks. The results indicate an accuracy of 88.3% in identifying the gait phases for task-independent classifiers when trained using only the static features. Performance of the classifiers improved significantly to 92.8% after using the temporal features (p $lt0.01)$. The algorithm was efficient and the average processing speed was faster than 100 Hz. This study is the first demonstration on use of US imaging to provide continuous estimates of ambulation phase, and on multiple surfaces. These findings suggest task-independent approaches may reliably identify the main phases of the gait cycle. Advancements in this area of study may provide simpler intuitive strategies for high-level assistive device control and increase their clinical relevance.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132833087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-06-01DOI: 10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779499
L. Tøttrup, Kasper Leerskov, J. T. Hadsund, E. Kamavuako, R. L. Kæseler, M. Jochumsen
For individuals with severe motor deficiencies, controlling external devices such as robotic arms or wheelchairs can be challenging, as many devices require some degree of motor control to be operated, e.g. when controlled using a joystick. A brain-computer interface (BCI) relies only on signals from the brain and may be used as a controller instead of muscles. Motor imagery (MI) has been used in many studies as a control signal for BCIs. However, MI may not be suitable for all control purposes, and several people cannot obtain BCI control with MI. In this study, the aim was to investigate the feasibility of decoding covert speech from single-trial EEG and compare and combine it with MI. In seven healthy subjects, EEG was recorded with twenty-five channels during six different actions: Speaking three words (both covert and overt speech), two arm movements (both motor imagery and execution), and one idle class. Temporal and spectral features were derived from the epochs and classified with a random forest classifier. The average classification accuracy was $67 pm 9$ % and $75pm 7$ % for covert and overt speech, respectively; this was 5–10 % lower than the movement classification. The performance of the combined movement-speech decoder was $61 pm 9$ % and $67pm 7$ % (covert and overt), but it is possible to have more classes available for control. The possibility of using covert speech for controlling a BCI was outlined; this is a step towards a multimodal BCI system for improved usability.
{"title":"Decoding covert speech for intuitive control of brain-computer interfaces based on single-trial EEG: a feasibility study","authors":"L. Tøttrup, Kasper Leerskov, J. T. Hadsund, E. Kamavuako, R. L. Kæseler, M. Jochumsen","doi":"10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779499","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2019.8779499","url":null,"abstract":"For individuals with severe motor deficiencies, controlling external devices such as robotic arms or wheelchairs can be challenging, as many devices require some degree of motor control to be operated, e.g. when controlled using a joystick. A brain-computer interface (BCI) relies only on signals from the brain and may be used as a controller instead of muscles. Motor imagery (MI) has been used in many studies as a control signal for BCIs. However, MI may not be suitable for all control purposes, and several people cannot obtain BCI control with MI. In this study, the aim was to investigate the feasibility of decoding covert speech from single-trial EEG and compare and combine it with MI. In seven healthy subjects, EEG was recorded with twenty-five channels during six different actions: Speaking three words (both covert and overt speech), two arm movements (both motor imagery and execution), and one idle class. Temporal and spectral features were derived from the epochs and classified with a random forest classifier. The average classification accuracy was $67 pm 9$ % and $75pm 7$ % for covert and overt speech, respectively; this was 5–10 % lower than the movement classification. The performance of the combined movement-speech decoder was $61 pm 9$ % and $67pm 7$ % (covert and overt), but it is possible to have more classes available for control. The possibility of using covert speech for controlling a BCI was outlined; this is a step towards a multimodal BCI system for improved usability.","PeriodicalId":130415,"journal":{"name":"2019 IEEE 16th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)","volume":"48 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128830043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}